They say that if you want to catch fish, you gotta go where the fishermen ain't. My philosophy: You have to get your inspiration from places others don't or won't. Few things are worse than the parroting of wisdom received from folks who aren't all that wise. Also, this blog has a kind of cool acronym.

Many of those who have spoken with FTC investigators say they appear to be building a case that Google's purchase of AdMob would harm mobile-applications developers. Under that theory, the companies that create programs that appear on the iPhone and other handheld devices would have fewer mobile ad networks to choose from when trying to make their work pay.

If that is the FTC's case, then the fact that so many developers are publicly opposing a challenge to the deal could pose a problem for the agency. What's more, many of the bloggers have been unflattering about the FTC investigators with whom they have spoken, something Google could use in its defense.

What I'm convinced regulators do understand is the PR value of big, meaty, publicity-significant targets that allow it to tell other companies "We're watching." In many ways, even after closing the investigation, the FTC probably accomplished all that it originally set out to do.

Code Of Conduct

Comments here are unmoderated and are operated on a use-until-abused basis. I will adopt a moderation policy if I feel that my visitors abuse this privilege.

I will delete any comment that is lewd, crude, lascivious, racist, sexist, libelous, off-topic, or injurious to the privacy of a non-public individual. Such users will be forever banned from commenting on this site.

From time to time, certain comments will be investigated if they appear to be marketing spam. The offending company gets one free pass before public censure.